 Krysta Bio
Char has been after me to write something about myself & why I became a doula. I don’t talk about myself much, so bear with me. I’m better at listening.
I grew up in central Ohio in a nuclear family (1 mom, 1 dad, 1 brother, 1 dog, 1 cat, and an assortment of fish & gerbils in 1 house) & earned my first two degrees there. I was in Girl Scouts throughout school, earned the Silver and Gold Awards, and am now a Life Member. One degree is for interpreting between ASL and English, though I haven’t used those skills for a while. 
After unexpectedly becoming pregnant, I posted to a hobby list that I was looking for adoptive parents and got an email from Char. She and a friend were with me for Neill’s birth. We joke that he was an email-order baby.
Knowing what we know now, Char says they would have hired a doula for me. Even though I had a CNM (Master’s degreed nurse midwife), I ended up with a fairly interventive (is that a word? it is now) birth. She and the staff nurses didn’t listen to me, and neither Char nor my friend felt comfortable speaking up on my behalf.
I moved to Wisconsin in late 1999 at the urging of Char & Tim. They had adopted Neill and wanted us all to have a closer relationship. Open adoption is the loving option, especially for the child. Having more people to love a child is always a good thing.
After being downsized in 2002, I returned to college yet again. I’d intended on picking up another bachelor’s, this one in nursing, but with so many applicants my mid-3 GPA didn’t stand a chance, so I went to grad school. Surfacing into the real world again, I discovered that finding a job was more difficult than expected.
Char & I went through DONA-sponsored doula training in spring 2007. Even before the start of training, I’d decided that if I could keep one woman from feeling as alone & ignored as I had during my pregnancy & labor I’d be a success.
I’m currently owned by two cats and engaged to a wonderful man. When I have spare time (& sometimes if I don’t) I like logic puzzles, reading, cooking, kayaking, SCUBA, and volunteering with the Coast Guard. My preferred transportation has 2 wheels, as you can see from one of my pictures.
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